{"id":18003,"date":"2017-12-11T16:39:35","date_gmt":"2017-12-11T16:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/12\/11\/qatar-inks-deal-with-uk-for-24-typhoon-jets-training-package\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:44:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:44:58","slug":"qatar-inks-deal-with-uk-for-24-typhoon-jets-training-package","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/training-sim\/2017\/12\/11\/qatar-inks-deal-with-uk-for-24-typhoon-jets-training-package\/","title":{"rendered":"Qatar inks deal with UK for 24 Typhoon jets, training package"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LONDON \u2014 Britain has signed a deal with Qatar to supply 24 Typhoon fighters<\/a> as well as a weapons and training package \u2014 the biggest export sale of the jet by the U.K. in more than a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently appointed U.K. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was in Qatar\u2018s capital Doha on Dec. 10, along with his Qatari counterpart, Khalid Bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah, for the signing of a deal expected to be worth an amount approaching \u00a36 billion (U.S. $8 billion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BAE Systems\u2019 element of the deal, including support and initial training, is worth \u00a35 billion, according to the British firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The largest export deal on the Typhoon was landed by the British in 2006 when Saudi Arabia purchased 72 of the jets. More recently, Italy secured a major sale for the Typhoon when Kuwait acquired 28 jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

British, German, Italian and Spanish governments are partners in the Typhoon program. The aircraft are built by an industrial consortium comprising Airbus Defence and Space, BAE Systems, and Leonardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from the Eurofighter Typhoon jets, the Qatar deal includes the supply of a weapons package covering MBDA-built Brimstone 2 ground-to-air and Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles as well as Raytheon\u2019s Paveway IV precision-guided bombs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British Ministry of Defence said in a statement that during his visit, Williamson also agreed to a package of training and cooperation between the two countries\u2019 air forces, which includes training for Qatari pilots and ground crew in the U.K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subject to financing conditions being met and receipt by BAE of the first payment, the first of the 24 aircraft are expected to be delivered to Qatar in late 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first down payment is expected no later than mid-2018, BAE said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deal with Qatar is expected to keep the Typhoon assembly line at BAE\u2019s Warton, northwest England, site open until 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\t